Cushion curler



June 5, 1951 C, w RENSTROM 2,555,933

CUSHION CURLER Filed Jan. 4, 1950 INVENTOR y MW @@Jf MM ATTORNEY vPatented June 5, 1951 CUSHION CURLER Carl W. Renstrom, Omaha, Nebr., assignor tu Tip-Top Products Company, Omaha, Nebr., a

corporation of Nebraska Application January 4, 1950, Serial No. 136,730

4 Claims. l

The present invention relates to hair curlers of the type employed to form and set a curl either by the use of the curler alone or in association with well known treatments which may be used to set the curls.

A principal object of the invention is to provide such a hair curler of unitary construction which is of a design to make it highly exible in order to facilitate the application and removal of the curler and to eliminate discomfort to the wearer when in use, yet while firmly retaining the hair in its curled condition during use.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a curler which is characterized by the simplicity of its construction and the ease with which it may be manufactured, as well as providing for complete ventilation and circulation of air in order to dry the hair when set, if it has been treated with any liquid or vapor during setting operations.

In the drawings, which disclose the construction and manner of operation of the hair curler:

Figure 1 is a view showing the manner in which the curlers are worn, it being noted that they are decorative in appearance permitting them to be worn during the day without embarrassment;

Figure 2 is a central sectional view through the axis of the curler showing the conical gripping portions in their expanded condition;

Figure 3 is an end view of the curler with the conical portion in its expanded position; and

Figures 4 and 5 are views similar to Figure 2, showing the conical portions in their retracted positions and illustrating the manner in which the curl is wound on and retained by the curler.

It will be understood that this curler may be made of rubber or any well known rubber or plastic compounds, and that the material may be delicately tinted in attractive pastel shades of colors depending on the taste of the purchaser. It will further be understood that this material may :besuch as to withstand the eiiects of any liquids or vapors used in any well known treatments of the hair which may be employed, although the curler is useful in itself without being associated with such treatments.

An important feature of the curler is the construction which provides opposite conical portions which when sprung toward one another, each press inwardly toward the other to firmly grip the hair and retain it in the curler. While two such positively retaining portions are provided, the overall length of the stem is relatively small, so that the curler may be worn against the scalp without any discomfort, for instanceI 2 when the user is sleeping. While the stem is relatively short, it is of great flexibility, and this highly flexible and hollow stem will permit the retaining portions to adjust themselves if necessary with respect to one another, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, in order to hold the curl in the manner in which it was set and without any diccomfort to the wearer.

Referring to Figure 2, the curler comprises a highly flexible relatively short stem IG, which is of cylindrical form but of quite thin wall thickn ness because of the relatively large longitudinal opening I2 which extends therethrough.

On opposite ends of the stem there are cooperating conical hair gripping members I4 and I6 which are secured near their apices on opposite ends of the stem. These hair gripping members have straight outwardly flaring conical walls as shown, and the degree of dare may be in the neighborhood of 45 or more from the axis of the stem.

'Ihe conical portions are connected with the stem in a most flexible manner as indicated at I8, where the thickness of the material is reduced all around the curler providing aV dennite plane for yielding action, so that the gripping portions may be easily pushed inwardly to their gripping positions as shown in Figure 4, or outwardly to their expanded positions, without the vapplication of any appreciable force.

Each of the gripping portions is provided with radially extending strengthening thickened por tions or ribs 2U on their outside conical faces, whereby the gripping portions are maintained in straight conical condition whether expanded or retracted. Thus, the yielding action of the grip- Vpingportions is substantially conned to the flexible union or joint I8, and when the` gripping portions are pushed past dead center in either direction, they will spring toward that position to which they are urged. In particular, it will be apparent that when they are urged to their retracted or hair-gripping position, as in Figure 4, each portion will positively spring toward the other to grip the hair, yet, the curler is of such flexibility that these portions may give and take with respect to one another upon application of any pressure, as when the wearer is sleeping, in order to avoid any pulling of the hair and resulting discomfort. It has previously been noted that the overall device as viewed in Figure 4 is rela tively flat, so that it is not of objectionable mass when worn.

Located between the ribs 2li are spaced open ings 22 extending through the gripping portions,

whereby ventilation is provided to permit'the curl to dry when it is being set, and of course, the relatively wide opening l2 through the stem likewise facilitates ventilation. Y

Thevperiphery of each hair gripping portion is in the form of a bead 2li, which may be more pronounced on the exterior face of the grippingr portion. These enlarged beads assist in iirmly gripping the hair as indicated in Figure Ll,

When the device is to be used, it is first opened to its expanded condition of Figure 2, and then a curl is wound about the stem i in the usual manner. The curl may be loosely or tightly wound, as desired, and it will be understood that the hollow stem may be flexed and compressed as desired when the curl is being wound. When the curl iswound as close to the scalp as desired, the gripping portions hi and i6 are pressed toward one another and each one positively snaps toward the other as they go over the dead-center position thus rmly embracing the curl as wound,

The length of the stem with respect to the length and angularity of the gripping portions is such that the periphery of one portion will tend toenter withinthe periphery of the other portion as indicated in Figure 5, on one side of the curler, and the stem is flexible enough to shift laterally within the curler to permit 'the gripping portions to be presented toward one another in this manner. When a curl is wound in the usual case, the gripping portions will be presented eccentrically with respect to one another, and the scalp end of the curl will usually leave the confined space of the curler at one of the points as indicated in Figure 5, where the peripln eraledge of the gripping portion l overlies that of the portion I4. At the opposite side of the curler, the arrangement is the reverse of that described as is apparent in Figure 5.

Thus, the gripping members may yield back and forth with respect to one another when any pressure is applied during use, and when the curler is being applied, the opposite portions may be adjusted with respect to one another in order to position the curl on the head in the desired position. It will be evident that the curler thus adapts itself to any skillful Yforming of the curls with relation to one another, as may be desired, although the construction similarly is of advantage in its flexibility if the curls are simply formed in ahaphazard manner.

When the curlers are to he removed, all .that is necessary `is that the gripping portions be grasped at the periphery and pulled outwardly, and these portions will each snap positively cutwardly when urged beyond the dead-center position. In this connection, it will be apparent that at those portions where one edge ovcrlies the, other, as at 2li in Figure 5, the force to onen the curler may be applied with convenience withf out disturbing the curl. It will also be understood that in the practice of highly skilled hairdressing the exible construction will enable the operator to flex the gripping parts with respect to one another in the'desired manner when removing the curl, so as t'o'leave it set in a par-V ticular positi n or arrangement.

While the-design is such that the oppositegrip ping portions may assume the concentric position shown in Figure 4, the relative dimensions and angularity ol' the stem and the gripping porn tions areV such, couple` with the positive tendency of those portions to snap toward one another, that the curler usually assumes the eccentric arrangement of ligure .the side of one portion d tending to enter the other beneath the lip of the latter.

-Due to the great flexibility of all parts of the curler, its manner of use may be varied in accordance with the technique of the operator. For instance, a curl may be wound with the device in the condition of Figure 2, and then only fone gripping member may be turned inwardly and compressed on opposite sides against the stem to hold the wound curl in tight condition on the stem. With the curl thus gripped by hand with one inwardly turned and compressed member, the opposite or second member may then be turned inwardly so that it overlies the rst member turned in at opposite sides thereof (where the first member was compressed) while permitting opposite` and intermediately formed open lips of said second member to protrude beyond and beneath the periphery of said first member thus providing openings for the scalp end of the curl. Various other techniques of use will suggest themselves during use of this highly flexible device. l

In manufacturing the curler, the stem l0 may be made relatively short with respect to the sizeof the conical members in order to increase, the clamping action of these members; That is, the relative length of the stem with respect to the size of the clamping members governs or regu,- lates the clamping action of the members againstl one another.

It will be understood that I` have provided a simple hair curler of attractive design and of great usefulness due to its novel flexible construc-` tion, and one which is so compact and yielding Vas not to provide any objectionable bulk against the scalp, when worn.

I claim:

1. A unitary hair curler made of rubber or the like comprising a hollow flexible tubular stern having integral outwardly dared straight wall conical hair gripping members secured near their apices on opposite ends of said stem, said conical members having a plurality of thickened por.- tionsfextending radially from the ends of said stem along one face thereof and having ventilatf ing openings therethrough between said thickened portions, said conical members being `joined to, said stem by flexible joints comprising reduced circular areas at the ends of said stem wherein`7 they may be snapped inwardly and outwardly with respect to one another on said stem,` said conical members being of such size with relation to the length of the steml that their free peripheries contact each other when they are turned inwardly to yieldably grip the scalp end of aY curl wound on said stem.

l2. A unitary hair curler made of rubber'orjlike material comprising a flexible circular stem having integral outwardly-flared conical hair-grip ping members secured near their apies4 on @p -i posite ends or said stem andV being joined'thereto by flexible joints comprising circular areas of; reduced material thickness whereby said inem` bers may be snapped inwardly and outwardly with respect to one another on said stem,as fali'dconicalmembers being of such size with relation to the length of said stem that their free peripheries Vcontact each other when they arejtu'rned;` inwardly to yieldaolygrip the scalp end'oi a curl wound on said stem. 3. A unitary hair curler made of rubber or like, material comprising a .iiexible circular stem hay.- ing integral outwardly-,named conical. hair-grip'-v pins .members securednear. their ,arises-Qn, 'Qaposite ends of said stem and having a plurality of strengthening elongated thickened portions extending radially from the ends of said stem along one face thereof, said conical members being joined to said stem by flexible joints comprising circular areas of reduced material thickness, whereby said members may be snapped inwardly and outwardly with respect to one another on said stem, and being of such size with relation to the length of said stem that their free peripheries contact each other when they are turned inwardly to yieldably grip the scalp end of a curl wound on said stem.

4. A unitary hair curler made of rubber or like material comprising a relatively short ilexible circular stem having integral outwardly-flared conical hair-gripping members secured near their apices on opposite ends of said stem and being joined thereto by exiblejoints whereby said members may be snapped inwardly and outwardly with respect to one another on said stem, said conical members being of such size with relation to the length of said stern that their free peripheries contact each other when they are turned inwardly to yieldably grip the scalp end of a curl Wound on said stem, the major diameter of said conical members being somewhat greater than the length of said stem to provide a taperededge disk-like shape to the cuiler, when in curlgripping position, that enables the curler to lie substantially flat against the head and. thereby to be used without discomfort.

CARL W. RENSTROM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 404,501 Pfanne June 4, 1889 2,268,952 McElWain Jan. 6, 1942 2,423,420 Talbot July 1, 1947 2,452,225 Coloccia Oct. 26, 1948 

